Rail-joint



PATENTBD v JAN. 12; 1904;

E.- J. S HINDE I'I'TTE.

RAIL JOINT. APPLIOATIFOIFI FILED SEPT. 5, 1903.

NO MODEL.

UNITED STATES PatentedJanuar-y 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

RAILFJOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,333, dated January12, 1904.

Application filed September 5, 1903. Serial No. 172,063. (No model.)

To all whom if many) concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST J. SCHINDE- HUTTE, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at McKees Rocks, in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inrail-joints; and the invention has for its primary object to constructan efficient and durable joint without the use of bolts and nuts and atthe same time provide for the strengthening of the rails at the joint.

Briefly described, my invention consists in providing a pair offish-plates, the vertical bar of which is provided on its upper edgewith a rib or tongue adapted to fit within a channel or groove providedtherefor in the underneath face of the rail-tread. The fish-plate ismade of a thickness equal to the distance between the outer face of therail-web and the outer face of the rail-tread, the rib or tongue on theupper edge of the fish-plate being of less thickness than the plate andthe latter being engaged at its upper edge outside the tongue by thebase of the rail-tread. I may use the fishplates in connection with orwithout a chairplate or may form the fish-plates integral with achair-plate, all of which construction will be hereinafter morespecifically described and then particularly pointed out in the appendedclaim.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to theaccompanying. drawings, forming a part of this application, and

wherein like numerals of reference will be employed for designating likeparts throughout the different views of the drawings, in'which Figure 1is a detail perspective view of a rail-joint constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of therail, showing the fish-plates in end elevation. Fig. 3 is a like view ofa modified form of construction. Fig. 4: is a like view of anothermodified form of construction, and Fig. 5 is a like view showing the useof my improved fish-plates without the employment of a chair-plate.

To put my inventioninto practice, I provide the tread 1 of the railswith grooves or channels 2 in the underneath face thereof, the web ofthe rail at the upper edge of the latter forming one wall of the grooveand the-lower edge of the rail-tread outside the groove being at anangle, as shown at 3, to engage the inclined upper edge or shoulder 4 ofthe fish-plate 5. This fish-plate at its upper edge is provided with alongitudinal rib or tongue 6, extending the length of the fish plate andwhich is adapted to be received in the groove or channel 2, the latterwhere the fish-plates are adapted to be placed in position from the sideof the rails, as in the construction shown in Fig. 5, being slightlywider at the base than at the top, so as to permit the entrance of therib or tongue. The provision of the rib or tongue and the increasing ofthe thickness of the plate materially increases the strength of thejoint, the rail-tread when under pressure having a bearing both on theupper edge of the ribor tongue and on the shoulder 4 of the fish-plates.The base 7 of the fish-plates is adapted to rest upon the upper face ofthe railbase, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2 and 5, and be engaged by thesecuring-spikes 8.

In Figs. 1 and 2 I show the employment ofa chair-plate 9, provided withupwardly-extending side flanges 10, against the inner wall of which theouter edge of the base 7 engages.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I show the base of the fishplates formed integral withthe rail-chair, in Fig. 3 showing the base 7, fish-plates 5, andchair-plate 10 all in one piece, while in Fig. 4L I show the joint madein two pieces, the members 11 of the chair-plate being equally dividedon each section of the joint.

tudinally, the grooves or channels 2, if not extended the length of therail, being of suificient length to permit the shifting of the platesonto one rail until the end of the adjacent rail is brought into linetherewith, when the fishplates are moved up over the joint. Thefishplates being flush with the side faces of the tread gives a fullbearing for the underneath face of said tread, whereby to materiallystrengthen the joint. No bolts and nuts will be required, and the jointis quickly made.

While I have herein shown and described the invention in detail, yet itwill be evident that various changes may be made in the details ofconstruction without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the type set forth, the combination with the rails havinga groove in the underneath face of the tread at each side of the web, offish-plates having their outer faces flush with the outer face of therail-tread, tongues extending the length of the fish-plates on theirupper edges and engaging in said grooves, bases formed integral withsaid fish-plates and extending flush with the longitudinal edges of therail-base, and the chair upon which said rails seat, said chair beingprovided with upwardly-extending side flanges lying substantially flushwith the upper face of the fishplate bases, and spikes in contact withsaid side flanges of the chair, and having their heads overlying andengaging the outer faces of the fish-plate bases.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

ERNEST J. SCHINDEHUTTE.

Witnesses:

H. C. EVER'I, L. E. EVERT.

